JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE NEW JOB

These are the two commercials that they came to shoot a couple weeks ago. They're gonna be aired for the next 13 weeks on cable channels such as Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, TBS, FX, MSNBC and others. The first targets Moms with kids and the second is for the old folks. Enjoy!

LONG LOST TWIN SISTER-WIVES

One day last year, I was walking down the hall at school and a Mom who was dropping something off for her kid stopped me.

"Oh my God! I have been meaning to tell you this for so long! Do you know you have a twin?" she asked, excitedly.

"I do?" I replied, not wanting in any way to be involved in a conversation with a Mom during my free period. All I'd wanted was to make it to the bathroom unnoticed and slip back into my grotto under the stage.

"Yes! Do you watch Big Love?"

"No, I've never seen it." This was before we had HBO - probably during our Six Feet Under on NetFlix stint.

"You look exactly like one of the characters! Nicki!! The second wife! Oh my God!! My daughters and I say that every single time we see her! If your hair was blonde, you would totally BE her!!" she exclaimed, sounding a lot like a 13 year-old girl herself.

"Huh - I will have to check that out," I said as I slowly backed away and headed towards the bathroom.

I wasn't sure what disturbed me more: possibly having a celebrity döppelganger, or the fact that I was a routine topic of discussion for this woman and her children during prime-time television at their house.

Anyway, we ended up renting the first season of Big Love last month and I really love the show. And the other night, HE subscribed us to HBO On Demand and I can get my fix of Season 2 anytime I like. And we don't even need to leave the couch to do so... WOO HOO!

As for me and Nicki? I'll let you be the judge...



SIDENOTE: The photo of me was taken - BY ME - last summer when we were in Maine. It was the middle of the night, on the beach, and we were both drunk beyond repair. It wasn't until a few days later when I uploaded the photos off my camera that we even remembered being there.

TAGGED BY LISA

JOBS I'VE HELD:
- Ice Cream Scooper
- Bagel Hawker
- Deli Whore
- Knick-Knack Personalizer
- Data Entry Slug (temp job)
- Starbucks Barista
- Music Teacher
- Director of Educational Services :)

MOVIES I CAN WATCH OVER & OVER AGAIN:
- Bridget Jones' Diary
- Sixteen Candles
- The Princess Bride
- Goonies
- The Sound of Music

MY GUILTY PLEASURES:
- Ice cream
- Wine
- Daily crossword puzzle
- Long showers

PLACES I HAVE LIVED:
- Rockaway, Wayne, Rockaway (NJ)
- Rochester (NY)
- Rockaway, Haledon, Rockaway, Wharton, Rockaway, Boonton (NJ)

SHOWS I ENJOY:
- Jeopardy!
- The Office
- Rick Steves' Europe
- Seinfeld
- The Brady Bunch

VACATION SPOTS:
- ARIZONA
- Anywhere near an ocean
- Europe

FAVORITE FOODS:
- Veggie Heaven
- Mesob
- Ice cream
- Anything containing peanut butter...
- ...or marzipan

WEBSITES I VISIT DAILY:
- My blogging community
- Natalie Dee
- Runners World forums

BODY PARTS I HAVE INJURED:
- Uhh.. nothing really major [KNOCKING WOOD!!!]

AWARDS I'VE WON:
- The Betty Kanable Music Scholarship (grad school)
- 2 Geraldine Dodge grants:
-- 1 for $2,500 to spend 14 days in Europe
-- the second proclaiming me a "Dodge Fellow" and allowing me to spend a week in a think-tank in Colorado (both were very cool!)

NICKNAMES I'VE BEEN CALLED:
- Jenny Bean (as a kid, by my Mom)
- Little Pussy Willow (as a kid, by my Dad)
- Zig
- Danz

I HEREBY TAG:
- Kate, Mike (I know he loves being tagged) and TeacherWoman.

DEAR SAM,

Wal-Mart, I'm sorry
That they are so mean
But they don't know you
Like I do

You take care of me
When my budget is lean
And carry it all
You're my "go-to"

And now you reside
Within walking distance
Of my new abode
And I'll say

It's a comfort to know
That you're there for me
So I'll visit you
Three times a day

DA CRIB

As promised, here are some pics of the new abode. It's hard to really capture how great the place is with a camera and an iPhone, but we did the best we could. If you click on each photo, you can see it in better detail.

So without further ado...

The kitchen - it's rectangular with a little breakfast nook at one end:


The dining room, complete with my grandmother's antique china closet:


The living room and HIS gloriously lush furniture & HUGE TV:


Guest bedroom - currently inhabited by our hamster, Claire:


Quite possibly my favorite room.. the office:


"The Love Den" (where the magic takes place):


My very own "Girly Bathroom" (HE has HIS own and there is also a 1/2 bathroom on the first floor):


Perhaps the greatest feature -- laundry room on bedroom level:


Our own garden paradise, complete with squirrels, gophers and feral cats:


If I haven't mentioned in a while, LIFE IS GOOD!

REASON #267 TO KEEP RUNNING



(Thanks, Lisa!!)

SETTLED IN

Whew! We're all moved in and set up and the new digs are FUCKING GRRRRRRREAT!!!! It's such an amazing place and I am so happy and HE is so great to live with and life is just FUCKING GRRRRRRRREAT!!!!!

This weekend I'll take some pictures of the place and post them up. Just promise you won't zoom in on the entrances and plan your burglary (did you know that's why you're not allowed to take pictures in a museum or in Lincoln Center?)

The job is also going really well. Got my own office now and a company credit card (don't worry, I won't abuse it - I'm not like that) and even got my very own Palm Treo.

Granted, it's no iPhone. And frankly, I didn't even really want it cause I was a litle afraid of learning it. But now I really dig it and use it quite often. It makes me feel important. But I won't wear it in a holster on my belt (even if I wore belts) because I'm not a frigging dork.



Now you know how I feel about people who wear cell phone holsters. They = Dorks.

What else? My running is kind of sucking right now. I think it's because last week was so exhausting with moving and then unpacking and lifting and all that. We had like 4 16-hour workdays in a row. The weather has been unbearably humid - even at 6 AM. I've done a couple 4-5 milers but they've sucked, and I skipped my weekend long run all together.

Ah well. I guess even I am allowed to ease up every now and then. I just have to remember that and to cut myself some slack. And if it comes down to the Rochester 1/2 next month and I don't feel prepared to do it, it won't be the end of the world. So that's my perspective.

And that's about all for today.

LOTS OF OLD-MAN BALLS

So what sucks about this job is that sometimes [read: often] I have to wait for someone else to do something before I can do what I need to do. Right now, for instance, I am waiting for the printer to drop off 200 brochures that our graphic designer made up so I can finish compiling 105 goodie bags for a golf outing.

No, I'm not joking.

Actually, it was an idea I got while looking through the 55+ section of the newspaper a couple weeks ago. I was scouting out the local senior citizen scene to try and see where I might begin my recruiting efforts for our New Horizons band. I came across an ad for an old-people golf outing being held in the next town over.

Being the avid [read: disturbingly fanatic] golfer that my boss is, he just happened to have 300+ golf balls lying around. So I bagged up the aforementioned goodie bags - each with 3 balls, 4 tees and a ball marker. The brochure I'm waiting for is for our New Horizons program, and one will be stapled - along with my newly minted business card - to each bag.

Essentially, over 100 old men will have my contact information. I have not yet decided how I feel about this.

Thankfully, it's my last project until I return to work on August 6th. HE and I both took next week off to move into our new abode. I am SO looking forward to... well, not the move itself. But definitely to living in a great new place with the greatest guy I've ever met.

I just hope HE doesn't mind the 100+ old men that I'll be inviting over for dinner.

STILL HERE

Just figured I'd check in, it's been a while. Things are chugging along here at the new job. Some days I am busier than others, but for the most part I am enjoying it. Went out with my boss the other day to pick out some office furniture and am waiting for the arrival of my Palm Treo (yes HONEY, I know it's no iPhone ;)

Been running a bunch in the mornings and have registered to run the Rochester, NY 1/2 marathon in September. I did it back in 2005 and enjoyed being back in my grad school stomping ground. So I am looking forward to that and have been following Hal's Intermediate level training program.

This one has me doing speedwork once a week (so I guess that crazy bitch from the 5K got to me after all.) I do it down at this lake near my house. There's a paved path around the lake that's .74 miles/lap. I figure this is about 1200m around, so I've been doing 600's instead of 400's -- about halfway around at a very rapid pace and then slowing for the remaining half-lap.

Know what? Speedwork is HARD! Even though I am only doing like 3 miles of it per week (and have really only done it twice), it kicks my ass in a new and different way. We shall see if I can have that sub-2:00 1/2 I am dreaming of... *sigh*

In other news, we're moving into our new condo exactly one week from today! Although the act of moving sucks more than just about anything, I am very excited for new beginnings and looking forward to living with HIM in our new place.

Will certainly make an effort to post more often (yeah...right.)

3 WORDS: INTERNET. AT. WORK.

Finally! My Mac's got itself hooked up wit' da Ethernet strings and I compromise NOTHING! They use PCs here, and since I would rather put toothpicks into my eyeballs than use a PC, I was sans Internet until today. But I won! And now my life is complete.

Life's been good. Things at work are a little slow this week as it is summer and schools are off (as I well know.) I am keeping busy getting my ducks in a row so I can launch a full-scale recruiting assault in September, but until then I am kinda laying low and gathering the forces.

Today I did something very different: I went to a diner for lunch - by myself - ordered a lovely salad, and sat and read a book. It was nice. And while I'm sure that thousands of people around the world do this on a regular basis, it was a very new experience for me.

In other news, I ran what was probably the toughest 5K of my life this past Sunday. The race T-shirt even said "The Toughest 5K in New Jersey" on the back and, while that may not be 100% accurate, at least I'm not the only person who thought it was tough. It was in my own town (which is an extremely hilly lake community) and I thought I'd be prepared for it since I train here. But clearly the guy who picked the route was a twisted sadist.

Needless to say, there was no PR for me. I did, however, place 2nd in my age category (30-39 y/o female) and so I felt really good about that. Hell, I even got a little award plaque! So all was not lost.

Uhh... I had other things I wanted to write about. Every time something funny happens I think, "I should blog about this" and then I forget it. Well, hopefully I can keep more current now that I am amongst the technologically living.

TGIF

So I’ve made it through the first week of the new job and I must say, things are definitely shaping up.

I gotta admit, at first I was a little overwhelmed by the new environment, and my initial reaction was pretty pessimistic. I think that’s fairly normal when someone is taken out of their comfort zone. But I did a lot of thinking about things Monday night and realized just how lucky I am...

For eight years, I have dreamed of starting my “Old People Band.” I’ve dreamed of doing it on my own terms – possibly even getting paid to do so. I’ve longed to be creative – to not have to follow the same boring schedule day after day, year after year. And now, miraculously, I find myself in that dream situation. How I got here, I’m not quite sure (and I certainly won’t question) but all of a sudden, I am realizing the actual potential here.

And I am loving it!

It’s amazing being able to wake up at a reasonable hour. To be able to fit in a 40 minute run, shower, have breakfast and read the newspaper BEFORE going to work. To walk into a beautiful office where secretaries greet me with relaxed smiles. To sit in a huge office (even if it’s not my own personal office just yet) with my Mac and figure out exactly how I am going to spend my day. I can go to the bathroom. Or out on an errand, or to lunch...

AND I DON’T HAVE TO ASK ANYONE’S PERMISSION!

Today we had two business meetings and people [ADULT people!] listened to my opinions with respect. It was almost as if they thought I had some sort of credibility or something. This is all very new.

I like the people I work with. As I mentioned, Nick is completely ADHD, but I like him. He’s a good businessman and a nice guy. The co-owner Tom is the complete opposite. He’s quiet and shy, but absolutely brilliant. They complement each other well and have been working together for over 30 years.

I feel good about things and I am just gonna make the very best out of the situation. There’s so much potential and I feel like I really am only limited by my own creativity. It’s the dream job.

I think I’ll probably miss the kids. There’s something to be said for working with kids versus adults. I think they keep you young, in a sense. But the beauty is that if I start to miss them enough, I can always decide to do some teaching here – maybe lessons or an ensemble or something.

For now though, I think I will focus on the creation process. Get some programs up and running – get out to the schools and begin spreading the word. After all, the more people I be bringin’ in the door, the more money I be bringin’ home. That is an incentive that was definitely missing from my last job.

GENESIS 1:1

Wow. This is kinda surreal. I’m writing this at 1:44 PM – right about when I’d normally be [sullenly] gathering my things to go upstairs to the gym to conduct afternoon Band. I’d be faced with 50+ unruly pre-teens, all blowing sour notes and talking incessantly. I’d roll my eyes, count to ten and try desperately to get through the next 42 minutes without committing murder.

Honestly though? I kinda wish I were back there right now.

The morning was busy. I got here around 9 and sat and brainstormed with Nick (my boss) about what I’d work on this summer. Since I don’t yet have an office of my own, I have taken up residence at his conference table. The problem is, he is quite possibly the most ADHD human being on the planet. He talks a mile a minute and his thoughts don’t seem to flow in any logical order. Speaking with him is both exciting and exhausting.

Around 11:45 I asked him when I am supposed to go to lunch. He replied, “whenever you’re hungry” a response – to most normal people – which makes sense. But having spent the past eight years being governed by a bell, this is a foreign concept. So at 11:50 (my lunch time at school) I drove to the health food store and bought a sandwich.

When I got back here, Nick was gone and well – I wasn’t sure where to go or what to do. So I wandered around and poked my head into different areas of the shop. I went up to the lesson studio and talked to the lady whose job I will be incorporating into my own. She scared me a little.

I wandered over to the vending machine. I ate a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels. Then I ate a bag of Famous Amos oatmeal cookies. If this is the way things continue, I’ll be 900 lbs. by the time the summer ends. Now I am back in Nick’s office and I have decided to blog… keep you all on top of my new and exciting life.

Maybe I need not to stress out about it yet. After all, it is only my first day. It’s just strange not having a routine yet. As a teacher, the whole job is a routine. Every day had its order, every month, every year. It ended in June and started up in September. It was both painfully mundane and mindlessly comforting.

But maybe as the days unfold, a routine will reveal itself. That’s human nature after all, right? Systemizing? It’s what we do. It just seems like it might be a little more vague here than it was at school. No one handed me a class schedule this morning that told me what I was teaching, who’d be in the classroom and when I’d be able to have 5 minutes free to take a poop.

Ah well. A change is what I wanted and a change is what I most definitely have gotten. I’ll take it as it comes and see just where it goes. And along the way, I’ll savor being able to eat and poop on MY terms.

D-DAY

- Anxious tonight.
- Starting the new job tomorrow.
- Wondering what it will be like to drive to a new "work."
- Hoping I don't hate it after a week.
- If I do hate it after a week, maybe it's ME and not the job.
- Hmm.
- Wondering why the fan on my laptop keeps going on.
- Has it always gone on and I've just never noticed?
- And now I can't stop noticing it?
- Maybe I should shut it off before it melts.
- That would really suck.
- I'd bring it back to the Apple store.
- They'd probably hit me with the $300 restocking fee.
- Fuckers.

I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER?



I don't know why, but I cannot get enough of this site!

I [HEART] THE INTERNET

2 really cool running aids I've come across thanks to blog friends Lisa and Jeff.

The first is PodRunner - a DJ who puts together 60 minute workout mixes at specific BPM. I used one of these on Monday and had one of the best 5-milers in months!

And today I used GMaps Pedometer to track some routes around the new abode. One of my biggest concerns was figuring out where to run and this totally solved the dilemma.

Thanks, Internet. You're one sweet innovation!

YOU'RE GONNA LOVE... ME-E-E-E!!

Alright, that was weird. I just launched Safari and this strange layer of gray began sliding down my screen -- as if it were melting. When the grayness reached the bottom, a message popped up (in four different languages) informing me that I needed to restart my computer. WTF?

Anyway, it's been a rainy 4th of July here but a nice one, nonetheless. HE and I had a lazy morning - complete with bagels and Dunkin' Donuts coffee - and then I went home to do some "rooting." I have been rooting through boxes and drawers all over the house, reminiscing a bit and throwing out a whole lot. Between changing jobs and changing residences, I feel like it's a good time to clean house. So I did that and felt semi-productive.

Later in the afternoon, HE and I went on a hike at a place we call Jewish Park [note: it's okay that we make fun of the Jews. I am half a Jew and HE is full-on in Jewness, so technically, we're allowed.] We call it Jewish Park because the main walking trail is paved concrete. And since Jews don't like to sweat unnecessarily (or so HE claims) they come to this park to hike because it's easy. We walked around Jewish Park until it started to rain.

We ended up back at HIS apartment with takeout Chinese and a copy of "Dreamgirls." Okay, I knew Jennifer Hudson was great and the movie won all these awards and stuff. I also knew it was a movie about music. What I did not know was that it is a "musical." As in, a-Broadway-burst-into-song-every-ten-minutes cheesefest.



Uugggghhhhh... I HATE musicals!! I mean, I went through the obligatory Broadway Geek phase in high school and all, but by my 20's, I was well over it. I didn't even like Wicked, and that was with blowing $120 on a ticket. I don't know what it is, but musicals are horrible.

Needless to say, by the time Jamie Foxx and Beyonce were married, HE and I had both had enough. We also made a pact that when and if we get into any fights in the future, we must both burst into song and sing our sides of the argument. We even shook on it. So maybe Dreamgirls wasn't a total loss.

BRINGING SEXY MAC

Firstly, I should let you all know that this is the inaugural post on MY brand new MacBook Pro 15" 2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo.

Yes bitches, she's ALL MINE.

So school is over. And this is going to be the first summer -- uh, ever? -- that I will not be returning to some form of 'school' in September. And I really don't think it's sunk in yet. Or perhaps I have spent so long getting used to the idea that it has sunk in via osmosis over the past four months and I'm just really okay with it all.

In any case, I feel pretty good these days. I chaperoned the 8th grade trip to Boston again a couple weeks ago and it was a total blast. The kids were great and the other teachers on the trip were a lot of fun. I had my own sweet hotel room again, and rather enjoyed sleeping diagonally across the luxurious, king-sized bed for two nights.

I spent two weeks submerged in iMovie, finishing the end-of-the-year movie and I must say, it really came out great. We showed it to the entire school on the last day and everyone was roaring. It's safe to say I went out on a high note [pun schmun.]

Now I have two weeks until I start the new job. Two long... empty... weeks. I feel a little deflated after being on such a high, I must admit. I really wish I could learn to relax and enjoy free time a little bit more, but I don't think I'm wired that way.

Tomorrow and Wednesday I'm attending an ethics symposium at the high school. All things considered, I find it a little ironic (don'tcha think?) that they're holding an ethics symposium in this school district, but they have really good speakers lined up and it's free to faculty members. Otherwise it's $250 to attend. I'm all about the gratis education.

So there you have it -- the less-than-exciting life of a Turtle, in review. Try not to get blown away.

HOW TO SURVIVE DRIVING IN NEW JERSEY

1. You must first learn to pronounce the city name Newark; it is New-erk
not New-ark. Never go to Newark.

2. The morning rush hour is from 5:00 a.m. to noon. The evening rush hour is from noon to 7:00 p.m. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.

3. The minimum acceptable speed on the Turnpike is 85 mph. & on the Parkway it's 105 or 110. Anything less is considered wimpy.

4. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Jersey has its own version of traffic rules. For example, cars/trucks with the loudest muffler go first at a four-way stop; the trucks with the biggest tires go second.

However, in Monmouth county, SUV-driving, cellphone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.

5. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended, cussed out, and possibly shot.

6. Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously. It's another offense that can get you shot.

7. Road construction is permanent and continuous in all of Jersey. Detour barrels are moved around for your entertainment pleasure during the middle of the night to make the next day's driving a bit more exciting.

8. Watch carefully for road hazards such as drunks, skunks, dogs, cats, barrels, cones, celebrities, rubber-neckers, shredded tires, cell-phoners, deer and other road kill.

9. Mapquest does not work here -- none of the roads are where they say they are or go where they say they do and all the Turnpike EZ Pass lanes are moved each night once again to make your ride more exciting.

10. If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been "accidentally activated."

11. If you are in the left lane and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be cursed at accordingly.... If you curse back, you'll be shot.

12. Do not try to estimate travel time -- just leave Monday afternoon for Tuesday appointments; by noon on Thursday for Friday; and right after church on Sunday for anything on Monday morning.

DINERS AND MUD HUTS

Alright, so I REALLY suck as a blogger. I've been very busy rescuing orphans from burning buildings and helping families in third-world nations construct mud huts.

Okay, maybe not. But it sounds a lot better than "I just don't feel like blogging."

Actually, life has been pretty fucking stellar these days! Morning Band has mercifully come to an end and I have been using the extra hour to run. There's something incredible about getting out and running first thing in the morning. No one else is up yet, and I find it really meditative to just be out there with the birds and squirrels and relative silence. It also gives me a chance to wrap my head around what I need to do each day. I really have been feeling much better these past couple weeks.

As Media Club Advisor (read: "Nerd Shepherd") I've been spending most of the schoolday working on the End-Of-The-Year movie in iMovie HD. It's a total blast! I really can't believe I am getting paid for this!

In other news, HE and I found a place to live!! We got a great 3-bedroom condo in a sweet town. We'll be renters, but it's what we decided we wanted to do. Owning a house is a huge hassle and we both agree it's better to make sure we can live together before making such a huge investment. Also, we're not sure just how long we wanna stay here in NJ.

Speaking of NJ - how cool is it that I live within 10 miles of the Raceway gas station where Phil got whacked?! I mean, it's right across the street from the Barnes & Noble that we're at on a regular basis!! Unlike many people, I actually LIKED the last episode of The Sopranos. I think it was great how David Chase kept us in suspense during every scene and ended it with them in a diner. You can't possibly get anymore New Jersey than that!

Besides, in real life things don't always end up neatly and concluded. With this ending, practically everyone was left up in the air -- especially Tony. And in my opinion, that's worse (and more realistic) than knowing your fate. He'll continue to live on the edge. Such is life.

Alrght - enough of that. I'll try to do a better job of posting. It's just that all this mud gets into the keyboard and really gums things up.

UPS AND DOWNS

This morning I ran in a local 5K. It's a route I run frequently and therefore know every inch of. I'd been looking forward to it for weeks. When I woke up this morning, it was already pretty warm and muggy. I did my normal pre-run routine and got to the registration table in plenty of time.

I hate being early to races because then you have more time to stand around getting nervous. I found a patch of shade and just kind of stood there... getting nervous. I wasn't out to break any world records, that's for sure. But I wanted to do well. My PR for a 5K is 26:55 (although if we wanna get technical, that was a race without a chip so I suppose it could have been a few seconds less than that.)

Over the years, I've definitely improved. I used to always be in the 28:00 range. I guess what would make me really happy would be to break 26:00... even if it were just 25:59. There's something about having that 25.

So anyway, I'm standing there minding my own business when this lady who's stretching beside me says,
"Guess we're all fighting for the shade today, huh?"
"Yeah. It's pretty hot already," I answered.
"Yeah - I hope I don't go down again."
"Huh?"
"Last week I collapsed in the middle of the SoAndSo Classic, see?" She pointed to her nose. There was a scab on it and one on her cheek.
"Ouch! I bet that sucked," I replied.
"Yeah, I really pushed myself. I'm not so good in the heat. Last year I went down in a 5K right at mile 3. I could see the finish line! Not today. I'm taking it easy. Gonna jog it. Not pushing for more than a 24:00."

Great. I should have known she was one of "those people" by her 2% body fat. She proceeded to tell me all about how fast she can run and how she only needs a 4:10 to qualify for Boston because she's 51. Then, the dreaded question:

"How fast do you usually average a 5K?"
"Uhh.. like 25 or 26," I lied.
"Oh good. Maybe I'll just stick by you today then."

Fuuuuuuuck.

"You know, you're young. You could really improve your time with some speedwork," she offered.
"Yeah well, I haven't really been running that long," I lied again.
"Hey, I'm gonna so get some water - I'll be right back!"

When she walked away, I quickly rounded the corner and lost myself in the crowd. She'd totally fucked up my self-esteem and I was pissed. Pissed at myself for not running more or doing speedwork. Pissed at ice cream for being so creamy, sweet, and evil.

As I was running the race, I started letting go of my bad feelings. So what if I am not the world's fastest runner? At least I am not insane enough to push myself to the point of passing out in a race... seemingly on a regular basis! So what if I don't have 2% body fat? Who cares what the clock says anway? I passed younger, fitter people and had a really good race, despite the oppressive heat and hilly course.

When I got to the clock at the end, it said 27:50 (without chips). Although a little deflated, I still felt pretty good. I was out there doing something that not everyone can do, and I did it to the best of my ability.

And now I need to go take a shower and get to a graduation party. A friend of mine from high school just earned her law degree from Fordham and I'll get to see a bunch of people I haven't seen in 13 years. And 13 years ago, I wasn't a runner and was 30 lbs. heavier. So there's hope that my ego may bounce back today after all!