I'm so excited and I just can't hide it*

So...

The presentation went fine.  Almost nobody was there, so I wasn't nervous in the slightest.  I remembered almost all the things I was supposed to (eh, I left a few out...but whatever).  I spoke too fast...but honestly, I speak too fast when I'm just talking to people...so not too concerned with that either. 

All in all...I rocked it. 

And the questions.  No biggie.  Pretty straight forward and I knew all the answers so pretty much gravy. 

And now, on a completely unrelated note, I am so glad I am leaving Richmond now.  Holy crap what are they thinking?  Do they really not have anything better to do with their money? 

I kind of understand they want to bring traffic to underdeveloped areas...but seriously.  This seems like a NIGHTMARE and so many accidents.  And craziness.  And just terribleness. 

Anyways, only a couple more days of work, and my birthday on Friday, and moving on Sunday! 

So much happening I can barely contain myself!

*Pointer Sisters

Now I only have myself to blame, for falling for your stupid games*

I was looking at my searches in google analytics to see what brought people to my site.  Most of them were looking for song lyrics or quotes and I can see how that would send people here.  I am a big fan of song lyrics as post titles.  However, there is one search term I have no idea how it brought anyone here.  I have never in my life written these words, or even anything remotely resembling them.  And it brought 3 seperate searches here.  Really?

"I like to jerk off in my underwear"  (Hi...I'm ready to start getting another 20 people here with that search item now). 

I was curious to see how far down you had to go to get to my site using that search term (Hi IT...please don't think I'm weird for searching for that at work!), and I went to page 5...still no mention of my blog.  I would think they could have found a better link than mine.

Even weirder, apparently one of them stayed to read a few pages.  If you're there...Hi! 

Anyways, I only have 7 more days until September 2...which means...I only have 7 more days until my last day of work here!  Which means I only have 10(ish) days left before I move to Pennsylvania.  (My actual move date depends on how well my packing goes...).  I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!

I am so sick of hearing how terrible Yankees are.  I cannot wait to be one again. 

*Carrie Underwood

Someday you're gonna shine, you'll see*

What a relief. 

I went to the gym yesterday and ran two miles on the treadmill.  I did them slow and easy and just tried to get back into the rhythm of actually being able to run.  No problem.  I ran the two miles in about 22 minutes (I said slow and easy) and felt completely fine (well, I was a little bored...hate running on a treadmill).  I could have kept going but I wanted to lift so I stopped at 2. 

But, seriously, other than a little boredom, the run was great.  My body felt like my body again (not weighing an extra 1000 lbs or issues with breathing at the right time).  It was just a very relaxing run and I needed it after my last two runs. 

Lifting went well also.  (My dead lifts...still stellar) :-)

However, still SO SLEEPY and I have no idea why.  I've been so tired, I come home at 6 and fall asleep.  It's kind of pathetic. 

The doctor found nothing wrong with me...apparently I just really want SLEEP. 

I am still a little raw from some personal issues...so maybe that's causing the tiredness?  Who knows. 

Anyways, all in all, it was a good Wednesday and hopefully today stays a good Thursday.  :-)

*Cracker

Good morning Starshine, the Earth says...Hello!*

Was anyone else confused when fall randomly appeared yesterday? 

It got dark at 5 PM, was all overcast and windy and the temperatures dropped below 60.  Then, when I woke up this morning and took the dog outside around 6, it was still pitch black and the moon was out.  Usually, even if the sun isn't out that early, the moon is gone, and the sun is at least making an effort to peek out.  And it was cold.  I wished I had grabbed my hoodie before heading outside.  It felt like a lovely fall morning, which is weird for August.   

I feel that this year's weather has just been very weird and unpredictable. 

And another random change in topic...

My working out has been really disappointing lately.  I attempted to run again on Monday after lifting, and it was terrible.  The lifting was fine, no major surprises there.  But the running.  WTF???

Again, my legs felt like they weighed 500 lbs each, and I just couldn't get into it.  My breathing wasn't awful, but it was just very out of rhythm.  I could not do it.  All I tried to do was run one 10 minute mile.  On a treadmill.  EASY PEAZY...

Except the exact opposite.  I had to stop and WALK halfway through it.  I managed to "run" a mile in 11:30 which is seriously pathetic.  I'm never THAT slow on the treadmill for ONE mile. 

So that makes two runs in a row that I've had to stop and walk, and that I've felt like I was dragging myself uphill the entire way (granted, the first run I WAS dragging myself uphill...but still).  So, I'm concerned about this.  I need a good run! 

Anyways, I need to go find some contractors.  They are not where they should be and this concerns me. 

Have a lovely day today!

*Hair Cast/ Willy Wonka

If I could be your punk rock princess, You would be my garage band king*

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend! Mine was busy, but in a great way.

Friday night all my co-workers (well, not all...but the fun ones) took me out for Dinner/Drinks at Bottoms Up Pizza (which is AMAZING pizza...especially for the south...).  Everyone got a little happy, and when I eventually had to drive home, I took a wrong turn (I thought I was on a different road than I was) and ended up in the middle of the ghetto...with no idea how to get out. 

I knew if I kept driving I would eventually get to where I wanted to go, but I wasn't really sure how to get out of that area sooner and still be somewhere recognizable.  I worried about turning down the wrong road and ending up even MORE in the ghetto.  So...I drove through the ghetto at elevenish at night.  And caught every single red light.  That was fun. 

Then, Revolting R came to visit me this weekend (however, there is nothing revolting about her...just an unfortunate name...).  Anyways, so R was here and I had such a good time.

We ate lots of yummy food, spent RIDICULOUS amounts of time at the bookstore and Target (she's a little store deprived further south), and just had a great time hanging out.  It's always too long between visits, but it almost makes it that much more exciting when we do get to see each other. 

Yesterday was a LONG day at work.  I worked a long day (about 12 hours) with lots of machine issues and as I was leaving work, I just couldn't force myself to go to the gym.  So...I went home and ate dinner.  Then I started thinking about the fact that I didn't go to the gym on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday (took the rest of the week off after almost passing out on Thursday).  I can't go today because of a doctor's appointment.  So, I got mad at myself and made myself get dressed and came back to work to go to the gym at 8:30 at night. 

I worked out for about an hour and a half and went home and pretty much passed out. 

So, while I'm sure my weekend was not that exciting to READ about...it was very fun to actually DO. 

Happy Tuesday everyone!

*Something Corporate (modified a bit)

I'd rather fall myself than let you drag me on down*

I had a mini-breakdown this morning at the gym. 

I dragged my ass into the gym at 6:30 to work out again with A the new trainer.  Apparently LAST time, I was so stupid I couldn't figure out how to do the dead lift properly and we spent an ENTIRE HOUR doing nothing but correcting my form (that was like a hundred lifts).  So...I came back again this morning to work with him to do the rest of the workout.

Good thing...my dead lifts are f'ing STELLAR!  As in I could be a fitness model showing these things off (well except the whole not skinny part or muscled looking part of the fitness model...but still...you get the idea). 

Bad thing.  I've been sleeping VERY BADLY the past few weeks.  I've noticed that my energy is completely down and even my running is getting really lame.  I was really upset Tuesday after work and I went to go running and I felt like shit the entire time.  I started out intending to do 4 miles...and only managed to finish 2.  And they were the slowest two miles ever...and I had to FORCE myself to finish the last mile...I just wanted to quit so badly.

So, something is not right with me right now.  I think I'm not eating enough/the right type of food.  I'm not sleeping enough, and I know I'm not drinking enough. 

All this adds up to a BAD DAY at the gym.  I usually do an 8 exercise circuit.  I split the circuit into 4 exercises and how ever many reps I'm supposed to do.  Today is a day of 2 sets of 12 reps.  I did the first 4 exercises and both sets no issues.  I made it through the first set of the second 4 with no issue.  Started the second set and almost passed out. 

As in things went black, I got that light headed feeling and A the new trainer kind of had to grab my shoulders to keep me upright.  NOT FUN.

Then, I proceeded to spend HALF AN HOUR just LYING on a weight bench because I wasn't allowed to move.  (Yeah, THAT was embarassing). 

In no way was that workout too difficult for me...I felt FINE up until I almost passed out. And after I was finally allowed to move again, I went and took a shower and felt better. 

So that totally sucked as a way to start the day. 

Hope everyone else had a better day than I did!

*Ben Harper

I won't lose a wink of sleep, because the truth of the matter is...replacing you is so easy*

I'm having issues thinking in coherent sentences...let alone paragraphs right now.  So...more bullets.  Again.  Two days in a row!

• The drive to camp wasn't terrible.  Once I got past DC, I didn't hit a lot of traffic.  And, I was able to stop in Maryland (about an hour or so from the border to PA)for an hour and go for a run which was a really good way to break up the drive.  Also, the trail I went to was freaking awesome.  The path is pretty, it's newly paved, and it was fun to go running somewhere new.  I think I'm going to start trying to build in running times for all my road trips.  They  make me feel less stressed.
• Coming back on the other hand totally sucked.  The weather sucked.  The traffic was TERRIBLE.  And I have a complaint for the PA Turnpike.  If you are going to have EZ-Pass availability at the toll booths...you should also have DESIGNATED EZ PASS LANES.  Don't leave everyone all sitting around in one big cluster-fuck.  Kind of defeats the whole purpose of having EZ-Pass.  Just saying.
• I didn't stop to run because it was pouring in Maryland for the majority of the trip.  However, I DID stop in Maryland at the outlet malls.  These outlets had an UnderArmour store which was having a MASSIVE sale.  I got two sports bras for $19.99 each (they are usually almost $60).  I would have bought a third...but they only had two.  I also got a long sleeve running shirt for like $6 that will be great in the fall in PA.  Awesomeness. 
• As I was driving, my phone was being lame and not working.  It kept saying that my google account was not active, and since my phone is connected to my google account, my whole phone was being screwy.  Which completely sucked.
• When I got home and checked my google account, it said it was temporarily disabled due to suspicious activity.  Yeah, apparently I mass e-mailed everyone some porn and some links to order viagra or cialis at super low prices.  So...my bad!
• I'm mad at people right now.  Just disillusioned and frustrated with people in general.  And that just sucks. 

Anyways, hope everyone is having a wonderful week! 

*Beyonce

so cut me some slack jack and jump in*

And more bullets!

• I drove  for ridiculous amounts of time this weekend.  Took me about 8 hours of driving on Saturday and then 10 hours of driving on Sunday.  So...I spent 18 hours of driving to spend 20 hours camping. 
• Having said that...camp was fun.  I loved seeing all my family (even the people I don't really recognize even though we're apparently related).  I especially loved seeing my nieces and nephews.  The nephews showed me the love (received LOTS of hugs and kisses) and little H was adorable with his hand holding and playing. 
• Little V is super cute (and still SO TINY).  She's so cute I didn't even mind the spitting up on me 4 times.  AND...she didn't cry hysterically when I held her.  In fact, she was pretty good and even slept all snuggled up to me in her carrier while her mom and dad were busy. 
• Little T still HATES me.  She is quite vocal about it as well.  And as much as I love her, I finally understand how my mom must have felt when I wouldn't stop screaming as a baby.  I am just thankful my mom resisted the urge to shake me (you know...shaken baby syndrome).  I can almost understand how people would get that urge (the urge...not the actual act of shaking them of course). 
• Camp activities were fun.  I got to "climb" a rock wall.  Except for the fact that I had no shoes on and the wall HURT my feet so I made it maybe a step off the ground before giving up in pain.  Then we did a king swing which was AWESOME!  It basically entailed me being harnessed onto a rope and pulled about 50 feet (how high was I?  I am so bad at judging distances) up in the air and then did a free fall drop and swinging around.  Super fun.  Then we did a zip line (also fun) and the low ropes course.  (I did all this in less than 20 hours keep in mind...).
• Even more exciting about the zip line was the fact that little J did it.  He climbed up the tree all by himself got onto the platform and hooked into the line.  Then decided he wanted to get back down (except using the ladder).  The lady on the platform suggested he go down on the zip line and kind of pushed him off and he had a BLAST.  He was so excited and wanted to go again.  He's growing up so fast...it's crazy!
• The campfire was kind of sad.  Grandpa wasn't there so it just wasn't the same.  It was fun, just in a different kind of way.  Hearing all the songs made me miss him, but it was nice to see the whole tradition carrying on.  

All in all, it was a great weekend.  I just never want to get back into my car ever again.  I'm so sick of driving... 

*Dispatch

End is the only part of the word that I heard*

I was out on the floor taking off some locks now that we're finished working on the equipment and I stood up without looking and SLAMMED my head into a heavy metal valve arm.  Instantaneously wanting to throw up and cry at the same time, I had to do everything I could to control myself. 

I go into the office to put the lockbox (with the locks and keys) away and drop them.  Bend down to pick them up and feel like I want to throw up again, and then hit my forehead against the shelves. 

Swear to God I am such a freaking klutz I should wear bumper pads on me at all times.  It's insane. 

Then, people needed me to do stuff for them, and I was trying so hard not to cry, that I basically acted like a spazz.  And then had to apologize because I really don't need to make any more problems for myself.  Sigh. 

On a funnier note.  My dog is now on Valium.  Swear to God...Who has a dog that needs VALIUM????  (Apparently I do).

Anyways, I'm off to go camping this weekend.  Should be interesting...

*Cake

I would keep myself. I would find a way*

I've got an appointment with A the new trainer today.  At 7:30.  Ugh...I HATE working out that late in the day, but it was the only time we could work with each other's schedule.  And I really don't want to get a new trainer now that I've been working with him for so long. 

He's awesome.  He insists in believing I'm stronger than I am, and he insists that I prove him right.  And dammit...he's usually right. 

He doesn't let me get lazy.  If I was able to curl 25 lbs last week, then I can do 30 this week.  I always am amazed discovering what I can do.  However, I plan to be ridiculously sore tomorrow due to his ability to find new, unique muscles I never even knew I had.  So, I think I will probably go and do a short run before going to the gym tonight in case I'm too sore tomorrow.  (Yes, I realize doing both is just going to make me more sore in the long run...but it makes sense in my head so shut it). 

Now I just need to figure out where to fit in eating.  If I don't eat before I go to the gym, I'm gonna crash and it will not be pretty.  But, I can't eat before running b/c then I get sick (and if I eat too late before going to the gym same issue).  I'm always so bad at figuring out how to fuel myself for working out. 

I probably shouldn't try to squeeze in a run before hand, but it's been a day.  And I feel like I need to go.  I just hope it makes me feel better. 

Happy Hump Day!

*Johnny Cash

Things, they have changed in such a permanent way*

So, I FINALLY finished my JUNE sock of the month club socks.  Um.  Yes.  That would be a big fail. 

However, honestly, it is a self-imposed sock club.  And really, who cares if I don't finish all the socks in my allotted time?  I'm still not sure what I'm even planning to do with all these socks I make anyway, so a couple of socks not being made are not going to hurt anyone. 

Anyways, I ADORED this yarn.  I loved it so much I never wanted to use it because I would be sad it was gone.  Yes, read that again...I didn't want to use it because I didn't want it to be gone.  That's just crazy talk.  But OH...THE COLORS!  And the softness.  And the pretty-ness!  LOVE LOVE LOVE!

But, I sucked it up, and made the Mad Color Weave (don't bother clicking if you don't have Ravelry).  The socks had an interesting stitch pattern.  Kind of a cable...kind of a drop stitch.  All in all, it was a quick knit (ignore the fact that it appeared to take 3 months to knit...)

Anyways, the socks are shown below:

Now, ignore the drab appearance.  I STILL haven't bought a new camera, and it's taken with my cell phone so the colors are nowhere near as lovely looking as they are in person.  Imagine BRIGHT pink, BRIGHT yellow, BRIGHT orange, and DARK purple. 

They are BEAUTIFUL!!!!  (However, the lighting makes my legs appear tan as opposed to blindingly white so that's a plus). 

Unfortunately, the heel of these socks kind of irritate me.  So, I will most likely not keep them.  Which is sad...because HELLO YARN!!!

Also, the more irritated I get, the more I go running.  SO...in the long run, maybe all this pissing me off is actually GOOD for me in the long run. 

Hope everyone is having a good Tuesday!

*The Strokes

And all of the walls that they built in the seventies finally fall*

Bullet time again!  Yay!  (Sorry, it's too hot to think in coherent paragraphs...)

• Prop 8 was overturned.  This makes me very happy.  However, I don't understand how a stay can be issued for a case that they declared unconstitutional.  I feel like they made the decision that they are discriminating, but people are still allowed to discriminate until August.  Makes no sense to me.  However, it's at least a step in the right direction (at least in my opinion) and I just hope the decision is upheld.  I'm curious what impact this will have on the rest of the country (if any). 
• My last day here is in 29 days (and if I don't count today or my last day here...it's really only 27!)  I have a calendar hanging up and I'm crossing off the days.  I'm so excited for my new position
• I went and got my car inspected, oil changed, etc on Tuesday.  They agreed my brakes needed to be changed this time (no more re-generating brakes).  I spent more money than I like to spend on my car, however, when I brake, I feel myself actually stopping and I feel so much safer than I did before.  Yay new brakes!
• I took a local kid back to school shopping on Tuesday morning.  Our company sponsors the local Y and we get to buy the more needy local children clothes for back to school.  It's really fun.  My kid was really shy and barely talked, but it was fun picking out clothes and putting together outfits for someone (and spending the company's money to do it). 
• I've been running and lifting a lot this week.  I'm excited.  And runing on the hills at the park is making me faster.  I usually average around a 12 min mile at the park.  (I will say, it's hilly and it's been ridiculous hot which also makes me slower than I would like).  However, yesterday I broke down and ran on the treadmill at the gym and ran a mile in 8 minutes.  I then proceeded to want to die and ran my second mile in about 10 or 11 minutes.  But my point is I ran it much quicker than I normally do.  Yay speed!
• I think once a week I am going to force myself to run on the treadmill and just focus on running quicker.  I think next weeks goal will be two miles at a 9 min/mile pace.  Just to see if I can maintain.  :-) 
• I'm pretty boring.  Haven't really done anything too exciting lately.  So...I'm gonna stop this now.

Have a lovely day! 

J - Hope your birthday was wonderful yesterday!

*Arcade Fire (thanks for the new band J!)

Your clever eyes could easily disguise some backwards purpose*

I've been having a nervous tummy all day (actually since the weekend).  I don't like nervous tummy.  It needs to go away.

Even worse, I have absolutely NO idea why I feel like this.  It's this weird feeling of impending doom/dread/something bad is going to happen feeling.  It includes a very rumbly stomach and it feels like I drank a vat of acid. 

It's weird.  I don't feel sick.  I just feel nervous like something is just waiting to happen.  If something IS going to happen, please just happen already.  I'd rather just deal with whatever bad news is going to come than have this feeling. 

I'm going to attempt to go to the gym for some lifting and then to the park and run a couple miles.  Maybe that will make me feel better.  After all, I believe that running can solve almost anything.  It's magic like that. 

Then, I do believe I will go to Old Navy and buy another pair of pants to replace the pair that got ripped wide open last week.  I have exactly enough pants to wear a different pair each day of the week.  If I don't replace them, I will be recycling my pants and seriously.  That's gross here.  I can't do that.  So, new pair of pants coming up.  Woohoo.  I may end up buying 2 pairs just to give me a little bit of variety for the week.  Crazy talk!

Anyways, hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. 

*The Shins