Band

Run: 3.25mi/33:00

Yesterday, while out running, I stepped around a huge ice puddle that covered the sidewalk, and got my shoes all muddy. Today while I set out on the same route I decided that since it was raining, the ice was probably melted. I was wrong. Determined not to get my shoes muddy, I decided to stop running, slowly walk over the ice, and be on my way. I was wrong yet again. Just because you walk slowly doesn't make you any less clumsy. BAM! Down I went on my left hip and left calf. Destination: Bruise City. I yelped a little, and got up quickly just in case any of the passing cars thought to stop and see if I was okay. They didn't. I hope someone got a good laugh out of that one.


Random picture time. My blog wouldn't be complete without more pictures of Stevie. We got to have dinner together last Saturday at her parents' house at the beach. Stevie is a chronic thumbs-upper.

 At my cousins' house, my cousin's oldest daughter got out her flute. This is the exact flute I played for three years as a kid, as my cousin had let me borrow it. Yeah. I was really good, still.

 Or not. I struggled through a scale, and then attempted Jingle Bell Rock. Then my cousin yelled at me to hold my flute up straight. Mrs. Donovan, my middle school band director, would be proud.

(The above pictures demonstrate my uncanny ability to be cold wherever I am. Scarf, check. Cousin's sweater, check. I'm only missing mittens.)

Mmmm Peanut Butter

Run: 3.5 mi/36:40

We are back in the Portland area, staying at the house of friends. I had run here some last winter, so I was all set to go out there this morning and kill it. Well I guess I forgot about that little sneaky incline. Except "little" doesn't really describe it. For someone who never runs inclines or hills, this was tough, but I had to do it twice. I guess it slowed me down enough to my "easy run" pace and I survived.

But even more exciting than my run (because obviously that was just a thriller), was my breakfast. I got the bright idea to put a tablespoon of peanut butter in my oatmeal. Man... that is tasty. I savored it while watching the Today show where some guy talked about good diets. I wonder if he's ever heard of oatmeal with peanut butter. Someone should tell him.

Cell Phone Pictures

I know there are people who do this a lot, and this is nothing new to them - but look guys! I can take pictures with my cell phone!!

I had a phone that I really liked when I lived in Portland last. It won't work in Mexico, so in Mexico I have the cheapest phone available and it works just fine, just nothing fancy.

I reconnected my American phone just for the month I'm home visiting, and I took a few shots out the window on our drive from Seattle to Portland today. Not bad.

 Literally five minutes later, that sunny sky turned into something out of a horror film.

Looking at my phone, I found some old photos, all at least a year and a half old, if not more. We've got this stunner:

 He looks happy to see you, doesn't he? I think I was nannying at someone's house and I thought he was so funny that I had to take a picture. What in the world would we do without our cell phone cameras? The memory of that champion would be completely lost. I wish I could remember his name, because dogs like this are funnier when you know their names. Names like Frank. Or Chester.

And this one is of an apron I made. Why I decided to take the picture with my cell phone and not my actual camera is beyond me. You can see that the picture was taken shortly after Obama was elected, and when I still owned my first (gorgeous) accordion.

That's all I got today. Cell phone pictures. That's how much I care about my readers.

(By the way, I just found out that I ran 103 miles in December. December! That is certifiably insane.)

Books: Room

Room by Emma Donoghue

Writing a book from a child's perspective is difficult. I don't think anyone can fully remember what it means to be a child, think like a child, reason like a child, see others as a child sees them. Donoghue  tries her hand at writing a story from a child's point of view. But she takes it one step further, or rather, many steps further. The child has no knowledge of the outside world. The "world" in which this child lives is elevent feet square, and he knows of only two other other people, his Ma, and their captor.

The child turns five, and slowly begins to pick apart the reality his Ma has created for him. Trusting in each other, they plot their escape. I think one of the most beautiful things Donoghue does with her writing of this child is not only let us into his mind where this reality has been built, but also to watch that reality be deconstructed once he is on the Outside. It's captivating, really, to consider that all that we believe is what we've been taught, and what we know of love shapes who we are.

(As a sidenote, it must be stated that the only way I was able to read this newly released book was by the grace of the Multnomah County Library, which lets you put holds on books via the internet, my wonderful friend Amanda, who picked up the book for me before I got to Portland, the librarian who let her do it, and God who timed it all just right. Ha.)

Ring it in!

Yesterday's run: 12.85/2:10:35

Whew. My longest run ever, and on that super cold day. My mileage is a guesstimate, as I ran on a trail at the beach and some road running. This beach has a paved trail along the shoreline, in the grassy dunes. And every once in a while there's a statue or a large log or some sort of historic bit about Lewis and Clark. It's really nice, except when you're by yourself and you peek out the corner of your eye, and you see someone standing among the grasses. Oh, Clark! You scared me.

 I got tagged by ElktonRunner, which means I didn't have to think of a blog topic today. How very nice of her. It's basically a few questions about me and my running, so please either bear with me, or ignore this post altogether.


1) Most fond running accomplishment of 2010?
My first races. I've been running almost 4 years, but I never had a desire to run a race simply for the fact of running in front of large groups of people. In March my roommates and I signed up for a race in a park/canyon in Ensenada, and I did much better than I thought I would. Then in May my bestie and I traveled to San Diego where I ran a 10k, and again did much better than I thought I would. And I didn't die from people looking at me. Or they didn't even look at all.

I have also run my longest mileage ever.

2) What are your 2011 running goals?
I actually thought about this a couple days ago. For 2010 I gave myself a specific mileage, which, due to a lazy/inconvenient summer, didn't happen. So this year I give myself the goal of running faster and farther, without definite time or distance labels. Through training plans this year I've learned how to get my legs to move faster for longer periods, and I know that I can increase my distance. It's just a matter of making myself do it without a race in the future. Oh! And finishing my first half-marathon with a decent time.

3) Favorite Race
I only did two, but the first one was my favorite probably just because it was my first ever. Plus it was small, in a canyon, I did it with my roommates, I conquered an incline (twice), etc. Plus at the water stops they handed out water in plastic baggies instead of cups. It sounds weird, but it's actually a really awesome idea.

4) Favorite holiday guilty pleasure
Taking time off. This year and last year I've been able to do absolutely nothing during Christmas vacation. In all the years before these two I always working the week up to Christmas, nannying, and working on New Year's Eve. Being able to just relax with friends and family for weeks on end isn't a privilege for 99.9% of the world, so I really appreciate it.

5) Most embarrassing running moment
I don't have one! I mean, I fell once while running in town, but nobody was around. For my second race in May I forgot my digital camera so I bought a one-use. That's kind of embarrassing, right? really, though. I can't think of anything.

Thanks Elkton!

Peace Out 2010

Run: 7 mi/1:06:45

Today I ran 7 miles in 34 degree weather, in my shorts, alongside a backcountry highway with speeds of 50mph. I don't really recommend it. I realized about half a mile in that I couldn't feel my toes. I think I may have to wear two pairs of socks tomorrow.  But hey - after you can't feel your legs anymore, they don't hurt as much.

On Wednesday we drove from Southern Oregon to Portland.

 Not bad for shots taken from inside a moving car, eh?

Spent time with best friends. Watched my friend throw together a seriously delicious split pea soup. Took personality test. Read the results to myself and cringed at how accurate it was. Rented movie. Had warm fuzzies. Spent time with Grams.

My grandma doesn't have any pictures on her fridge, usually. Just one, and it always makes me smile that she keeps it on her fridge.

And I'm fairly certain that my grandma made me that dress.

Last night my best friends and I got together for pizza. And then brownies afterward. Because that's how we do.

There are no pictures of the brownies. We were too busy eating them, I guess. 

Top Gun

On Tuesday morning my sister-in-law and I drove to the base to use the gym. I had recently mentioned to my brother that I had never been to his work and I'd like to sit in a jet. He politely declined my request, as apparently there's some danger in letting a civilian sit in an F-15 cockpit. I'm not sure what danger that could be. I wouldn't push any buttons, geesh guys. So even though I wasn't allowed to sit inside the jet, we stopped by his hangar to see where he works.

As we arrived on base, my SIL handed me the phone and told me to dial such and such a number to tell Joel we had arrived. She was in the middle of rambling about something else when a male voiced answered the phone. "We're here!!!" I exclaimed, and the voice responded, "What?" "I said we're here, we're at the base." "Uh... who is this?" I then realized that in my over-excited state I had ignored the fact that this did not sound like my brother. "Um, this is Meghan" and finally my sister in law told me to ask for my brother as this was the department phone, not a personal line. Oh, right, guys.

My brother showed us around the hangar - pointing out jets, filling me in on his job, explaining procedures. And then he said "This is my office", as he opened a door. I expected a small office. Instead, we walked into a room full of people, and my brother politely pointed out the guy who had answered the phone. "ohhh... you're not my brother" was the only thing I could think to say.

We saw the runway, went back into the hangar where I stared into a very dark engine and then climbed up the ladder to look at a cockpit (I did not get in). And the smartest thing I could think to say was "it's like Top Gun."

And there you have it. My brother's pretty cool - have I ever mentioned that? We just stayed in his warm and cozy house, which he took from an old, decrepit, miniscule house, to an open, light, and airy house. He did 95% of the work himself, after work, on the weekends, and on vacation time. He's pretty amazing. Plus, he introduced me to rock 'n' roll, which is also one of his major life accomplishments. Hats off to Big Bro! (I love you!)

And there you have it. This is the kind of entry you get when you complain that I don't mention you on the blog :)